U.S. patent application number 10/508148 was filed with the patent office on 2005-06-30 for heating apparatus of microwave oven and food heating method.
Invention is credited to Kim, Seog Tae.
Application Number | 20050139592 10/508148 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36204465 |
Filed Date | 2005-06-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050139592 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kim, Seog Tae |
June 30, 2005 |
Heating apparatus of microwave oven and food heating method
Abstract
The present invention provides a heating apparatus of a
microwave oven. The heating apparatus includes: an upper heater
installed at an upper portion of a cavity; a lower heater installed
at a lower portion of the cavity and allowing an inclination to be
selectively formed; a tray placed on the lower heater, for
receiving a food thereon; and a motor connected to the lower heater
so as to incline the lower heater on which the tray is placed.
Inventors: |
Kim, Seog Tae;
(Gyeongsangnam-do, KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MCKENNA LONG & ALDRIDGE LLP
1900 K STREET, NW
WASHINGTON
DC
20006
US
|
Family ID: |
36204465 |
Appl. No.: |
10/508148 |
Filed: |
September 17, 2004 |
PCT Filed: |
March 15, 2004 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/KR04/00542 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
219/680 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F24C 15/166 20130101;
H05B 6/6411 20130101; F24C 7/06 20130101; H05B 6/6482 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
219/680 |
International
Class: |
H05B 006/64 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 28, 2003 |
KR |
10-2003-0026738 |
Claims
1. A heating apparatus of a microwave oven, comprising: an upper
heater installed at an upper portion of a cavity; a lower heater
installed at a lower portion of the cavity and allowing an
inclination to be selectively formed; a tray placed on the lower
heater, for receiving a food thereon; and a motor connected to the
lower heater so as to incline the lower heater on which the tray is
placed.
2. The heating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the upper
heater has at least one bent portion to enhance caloric power.
3. The heating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lower
heater is at least one to lift up the tray.
4. The heating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lower
heater has one end projecting out of the cavity, and the other end
inserted rotatably into the cavity and coupled with the cavity.
5. The heating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lower
heater has an end projecting out of the cavity, the projecting end
of the lower heater being coupled with a gear.
6. The heating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lower
heater is rotatable by 90.degree. to the maximum extent by a
rotation of the motor.
7. The heating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lower
heater has at least one bent portion such that the tray is stably
movable up and down in spite of an inclination due to a
rotation.
8. The heating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the tray has
a surrounding protrusion on a lower portion thereof such that the
tray is prevented from leaving from the lower heater in spite of an
inclination due to a rotation of the lower heater.
9. The heating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the tray has
projections on a lower portion thereof such that the tray is
prevented from freely moving on the lower heater in spite of an
inclination due to a rotation of the lower heater.
10. The heating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the motor
is rotatable in a reverse direction automatically and/or
manually.
11. A heating apparatus of a microwave oven, comprising: a lower
heater installed at a lower portion of a cavity; a tray supported
by the lower heater a gear rotatably coupled at an end of the lower
heater; and driving means coupled with the gear, for inclining the
lower heater.
12. The heating apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising
an auxiliary gear installed between the gears and engaged with the
gears, for intermediating the gears.
13. The heating apparatus according to claim 12, wherein one of the
auxiliary gears is connected to the driving means and rotated by an
operation of the driving means.
14. The heating apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the
auxiliary gear connected with and rotated together with the driving
means is installed engaged with another auxiliary gear installed
outside the cavity by a shaft.
15. The heating apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the lower
heater has a bent portion, the bent portion reciprocating between
at least two projections formed long on the lower portion of the
tray and in parallel with a side of the tray.
16. A heating apparatus of microwave oven, comprising: a tray
installed in a cavity, for receiving a food thereon; a lower heater
for shaking the tray; driving means for shaking the; and force
transmitting means for connecting the lower heater to the driving
means.
17. A method for heating foods in a microwave oven, the method
comprising the steps of: rotating a motor installed in the
microwave oven; rotating a lower heater by a rotation of the motor;
and moving a tray up and down by a rotation of the lower
heater.
18. The method according to claim 17, wherein at least one gear is
installed between the motor and the lower heater to rotate the
lower heater.
19. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step
of: when cooking is finished, automatically or manually moving the
tray down to return the tray to an original place thereof.
20. The method according to claim 17, wherein the motor is operated
and rotated under the control of a microprocessor embedded in the
microwave oven.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a heating apparatus of a
microwave oven, and more particularly, to a heating apparatus of a
microwave oven that can move a tray with a food thereon up and down
by rotating a movable heater provided on a lower portion of the
microwave oven to cook a food quickly.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] A microwave oven is a cooking apparatus, which generates a
microwave to heat foods with electricity as a power source. The
microwave oven is very suitable to cook an unbaked food to be
cooked with ingredients or a precooked food such as an instant
food.
[0003] Recently, a composite heating microwave oven is well known,
which heats a food therein by an additional heater in a cavity as
well as by microwave.
[0004] The additional heater of the composite heating microwave
oven is fixed on a ceiling or a lower portion of a cavity of the
oven. Accordingly, when a food is placed on a tray of the cavity
and cooked, the additional heater works at a fixed location
regardless of the amount or the volume of the food. However, in
this case, the heat from the additional heater cannot be used
efficiently and the food is not cooked very well.
[0005] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a microwave oven provided
with a heating apparatus according to the related art.
[0006] Referring to FIG. 1, the related art heating apparatus
includes a cavity 1, an upper plate 3 and an upper heater 2. The
cavity 1 receives a food to cook. The upper plate 3 constitutes a
ceiling of the cavity 1. The upper heater 2 is installed under the
upper plate 3 and heats the food.
[0007] A rotation tray 5 is installed at the lower portion of the
cavity 1, and is rotatable in a state that a food is placed
thereon. A separate lower heater 4 is installed under the rotation
tray 5.
[0008] Here, the upper heater 2 is fixed in the vicinity of the
upper plate 3 positioned at an upper portion of the cavity 1. The
tray 5 and the lower heater 4 are installed at the lower portion of
the cavity 1.
[0009] In this related art microwave oven, when it is intended to
heat a food by using the heaters, the microwave oven is turned on
and the upper and lower heaters 2 and 4 generate heat.
[0010] The heat is merged into the airflow circulating inside the
cavity 1 to form a thermal current, so that the heat is delivered
to the food by convection.
[0011] Accordingly, the upper heater 2 heats a comparatively
distant upper surface of the food while the lower heater 4 heats a
comparatively near lower surface of the food. Also, the microwave
oven heats the food by microwave of magnetron (not shown).
[0012] However, since the upper and lower heaters 2 and 4 and the
rotation tray 5 are fixed to the upper and lower portions of the
cavity 1 respectively, the distances between the food on the
rotation tray 5 and the heaters 2 and 4 are always constant
regardless of the type and the size of the food. Accordingly, it is
limited to optimize a cook condition of the food.
[0013] In addition, since the lower heater 4 is near to the food
but the upper heater 5 is comparatively distant from the food as
shown in FIG. 1, some of the thermal current generated by the upper
heater 2 is not utilized to heat the food.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
[0014] Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a heating
apparatus of a microwave oven and food heating method that
substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to
limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
[0015] An object of the present invention is to prepare an
innovative lower heater capable of moving a tray up and down and
controlling position of the tray with a food thereon gradually
according to the type and the size of the food thereby to optimize
the cook condition and to maximize energy efficiency.
[0016] According to the present invention, since the tray with the
food thereon is lifted up to the upper heater by rotation of the
heater, the food is cooked quickly and cooking time is shortened.
The heat generated by the upper heater is efficiently irradiated on
the food thereby to maximize energy efficiency of the upper
heater.
[0017] Further, since the height of the tray is controllable
according to the size and the type of the food, the food is
uniformly heated thereby to more properly cook the food.
[0018] Additional features and advantages of the invention will be
set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be
apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the
invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention
will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed
out in the written description and claims thereof as well as the
appended drawings.
[0019] To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with
the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly
described, there is provided a heating apparatus of a microwave
oven including: an upper heater installed at an upper portion of a
cavity; a lower heater installed at a lower portion of the cavity
and allowing an inclination to be selectively formed; a tray placed
on the lower heater, for receiving a food thereon; and a motor
connected to the lower heater so as to incline the lower heater on
which the tray is placed.
[0020] According to the present invention described above, the tray
is adjustable in height according the rotation angle of the lower
heater thereby to optimize the cook condition and to maximize
energy efficiency.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a
further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and
constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of
the invention and together with the description serve to explain
the principles of the invention.
[0022] In the drawings:
[0023] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional microwave
oven;
[0024] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a microwave oven according
to the present invention;
[0025] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a heating apparatus of a
microwave oven according to the present invention;
[0026] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a rotating apparatus of a
heating apparatus according to the present invention;
[0027] FIG. 5 is a lower portion view of a tray according to the
present invention;
[0028] FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a tray at the lowest position
of the tray according to the present invention; and
[0029] FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a tray at the highest position
of the tray according to the present invention.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0030] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention
will be described in detail with reference to accompanying
drawings.
[0031] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a microwave oven according
to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a heating
apparatus of a microwave oven according to the present
invention.
[0032] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the microwave oven includes an
outer casing 10, a cavity 100, a tray 150, and an electronic
components room 20. The cavity 100 forms a cooking space in the
outer casing 10. The tray 150 is placed on the lower portion of the
cavity 100 to receive a food thereon. The electronic components
room 20 is disposed at a side inside the outer casing 10 to
accommodate various components necessary to operate the microwave
oven.
[0033] Inside the electronic components room 20, installed are a
magnetron for generating microwave, a wave guide for guiding the
microwave generated by the magnetron to a cooking chamber, a high
voltage transformer for generating and supplying high voltage to
drive the magnetron, a high voltage capacitor, and a cooling fan
for cooling the electronic parts such as the magnetron, high
voltage transformer and high voltage capacitor and discharging an
inside vapor.
[0034] In order to solve non-uniform heating problem of the related
art, the lower heater 130 installed in the cavity is designed to
have different shape from the related art lower heater 4 and to be
capable of moving.
[0035] In addition, the heating apparatus according to the present
invention includes an upper heater 110, a lower heater 130, a tray
150 and a motor 140. The upper heater 110 is installed at an upper
portion of a cavity 100 to heat a food. The lower heater 130 is
installed at a lower portion of the cavity 100 and allows an
inclination to be selectively formed due to its rotation. The tray
150 is placed on the lower heater 130 and receives a food thereon.
The motor 140 inclines the lower heater 130.
[0036] The upper heater 110 is installed at an upper portion of a
cavity 100 to heat a food. Preferably, the upper heater 110 has a
plurality of bent portions to enhance caloric power, and extends
and projects to the electronic components room 20.
[0037] The electricity is connected to the upper heater 110
extended to the electronic components room 20 and emits heat due to
its electric resistance.
[0038] The at least one lower heater 130 is installed at the lower
portion of the cavity 100, has bent portions, and extends and
projects to the electronic components room 20 as like the upper
heater 110. The extended lower heater 110 is supplied with
electricity and emits heat to the outside due to its electric
resistance.
[0039] In this embodiment of the present invention, the lower
heater 130 consists of a first lower heater and a second lower
heater, and they are placed symmetrical to each other. The number
of the lower heaters, however, is not limited by this embodiment.
The optimal number of the lower heaters can be determined according
to the size and the thermal efficiency of the microwave oven and
the shape of the lower heater 130.
[0040] As shown in FIG. 3, each of the lower heaters 130 has two
ridges S and one furrow G and both ends of the lower heaters 130
form straight.
[0041] The shapes and the numbers of the ridges and the furrows are
not limited by this embodiment and can be properly determined
according to the shape of the tray 150 and other technical
reasons.
[0042] An end (left end in FIG. 3) of the lower heater 130 is
inserted rotatably into the cavity 100 and coupled with the cavity
100. The other end of the lower heater 130 is extended to the
electronic components room 20 as described above.
[0043] Now, the operation of each part of the microwave oven will
be described.
[0044] First, when an electric power is supplied to the microwave
oven according to the present invention, the motor 140 rotates the
lower heater 110.
[0045] The rotation angle of the lower heater 130 is determined
according to the food placed on the tray 150. The lower heater 130
is rotated by the determined rotation angle such that the position
of the tray 150 is determined.
[0046] The tray 150 is positioned at a predetermined height. The
heat emitted from the upper heater 110 and the heat emitted from
the lower heater 130 circulate inside the cavity 100 and the food
in the cavity 100 is uniformly heated.
[0047] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a rotating apparatus of a
heating apparatus according to the present invention.
[0048] Referring to FIG. 4, in the rotating apparatus of a heating
apparatus according to the present invention, a first gear 131 and
a second gear 133 are coupled to the lower heater 130 extended and
projected to the electronic components room 20. A first auxiliary
gear 132 and a second auxiliary gear 134 engaged with each other
are installed between the gears 131 and 133. The auxiliary gears
132 and 134 are engaged with the gears 131 and 133
respectively.
[0049] The motor 140 is provided to rotate the gears 131 and 133
and the auxiliary gears 132 and 134. The motor 140 is coupled with
any one of the auxiliary gears 132 and 134. In this embodiment of
the present invention, the motor 140 is coupled with the auxiliary
gears 132. The motor 140 and the auxiliary gears 132 can be
connected to each other through a shaft as an embodiment.
[0050] The remaining second auxiliary gear 134 is coupled to the
outside of the cavity 100 through a shaft and rotatably installed
with the shaft as an axis.
[0051] As the motor 140 rotates, the first auxiliary gear 132
coupled to the motor 140 rotates and the second auxiliary gear 134
engaged with the first auxiliary gear 132 also rotates. Then, the
gears 131 and 133 engaged respectively with the auxiliary gears 132
and 134 also rotate. The lower heaters 130 connected to the gears
131 and 133 also rotate.
[0052] The rotation directions of the auxiliary gears 132 and 134,
the gears 131 and 133, and the lower heater 130 will be
described.
[0053] First, if the motor 140 rotates counterclockwise, the first
auxiliary gear 132 connected to the motor 140 rotates
counterclockwise too, and the first gear 131 engaged with the first
auxiliary gears 132 rotates clockwise. Then, the first lower heater
(a left lower heater shown in FIG. 2) rotates clockwise too due to
the clockwise rotation of the first gear 131 and is inclined.
[0054] On the other hand, the second auxiliary gear 134 engaged
with the first auxiliary gear 132 rotates clockwise due to the
counterclockwise rotation of the first auxiliary gear 132. Then,
the second gear 133 engaged with the second auxiliary gear 134
rotates counterclockwise due to the clockwise rotation of the
second auxiliary gear 134. Then, the second lower heater 130 (a
right lower heater shown in FIG. 2) rotates counterclockwise too
due to the counterclockwise rotation of the second gear 133.
[0055] As described above, the motor 140 rotates the first and
second lower heaters clockwise and counterclockwise respectively
thereby to form an inclination.
[0056] In this embodiment of the present invention, the lower
heater 130 is designed to be capable of rotating by 0.degree. to
90.degree. by the motor 140. In other words, when the lower heater
130 rotates by 0.degree., the ridge S of the lower heater 130
contacts the lower portion of the cavity 100. When the lower heater
130 rotates by 90.degree., the ridge S of the lower heater 130
reaches to the most distant location from the lower portion of the
cavity 100.
[0057] The rotation of the lower heater 130 is determined by the
rotation of the motor 140, and the rotation of the motor 140 is
determined under the control of the electronic components room 20.
In other words, the rotation angle of the lower heater 130 can be
controlled by external manipulation according to the amount or the
volume of the food.
[0058] FIG. 5 is a bottom view of a tray according to the present
invention.
[0059] Referring to FIG. 5, the tray 150 according to the present
invention is placed on the lower heater 130. The tray 150 is used
to receive a food and can be moved up and down due to the
inclination of the lower heater 130.
[0060] As described above, the lower heater 130 contacts the lower
portion of the tray 150 and forms an inclination according to the
rotation of the motor 140 such that the tray 150 is lifted up.
[0061] The tray 150 has a surrounding protrusion 152 on a lower
portion thereof so as to prevent the tray 150 from leaving from the
lower heater 130 while the lower heater 130 rotates and moves with
contacting the lower portion of the tray 150.
[0062] The tray 150 also has a lower projection 154 on a lower
portion thereof so as to prevent the tray 150 from being moved due
to a continuous rotation of the lower heater 130.
[0063] The surrounding protrusion 152 is formed projecting on a
lower portion of the tray 150. The lower projection 154 is formed
to guide a stroke that the ridge S can move, and includes a
plurality of the projections formed to cross the tray 150 inside
the surrounding protrusion 152.
[0064] FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a tray at the lowest position
according to the present invention.
[0065] FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a tray at the highest position
according to the present invention.
[0066] Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the location of the tray 150 can
be easily found due to the rotation of the lower heater 130.
[0067] First, when the motor 140 does not operate, the tray 150 is
positioned at the lowest location and placed on the lower heater
130 as shown in FIG. 6. When the lower heater 130 rotates by
90.degree. by the motor 140, the tray 150 reaches to the highest
location inside the cavity 100. In other words, the tray 150 is
nearest to the upper heater 110.
[0068] The operation of the heating apparatus the microwave oven
described above will be described.
[0069] First, a food is placed on the tray 150. Then, the upper and
lower heaters 110 and 130 are turned on to emit heat.
[0070] The heat is merged into the airflow circulating inside the
cavity 100 to form a thermal current, so that the heat is delivered
to the food by convention. Also, the microwave oven heats the food
by microwave of magnetron.
[0071] The food is cooked by the heat of the upper and lower
heaters 110 and 130 and the microwave oven. In order to cook the
food quickly, the motor 140 is rotated under the program of the
microprocessor of the microwave oven. The torque of the motor 140
is transmitted to the lower heater 130 through the auxiliary gears
132 and 134 and the gears 131 and 133. Then, the lower heater 130
is inclined at a constant slope. The position of the tray 150 is
changed in the cavity 100 due to the inclination of the lower
heater 130.
[0072] When it is sufficient to cook a food by using the microwave
and the upper and lower heaters 110 and 130, the food is cooked
without lifting up the tray 150. However, the food can be cooked
with lifting up the tray 150 according to the condition of the
food.
[0073] In other words, the food can be moved near to the upper
heater 110 to allow the heat of the upper heater 110 to be more
easily irradiated onto the food. Then, the food can be more quickly
cooked.
[0074] When the food is completely cooked, the motor 140 is
reversely rotated automatically or manually to flatten the lower
heater 150 and move the tray 150 to the lowest location.
[0075] The location of the tray 150 in the cavity 100 is determined
under the control of the motor 140 according to the type and the
size of the food.
Industrial Applicability
[0076] According to the present invention, the tray with a food
thereon is lifted up to the upper heater by the rotation of the
lower heater such that the food is cooked quickly and the cooking
time is shortened. The heat generated from the upper heater is
efficiently irradiated on the food so that the energy efficiency of
the upper heater is maximized.
[0077] The location of the tray is controlled according to the type
and the size of the food such that the food is uniformly heated and
more properly cooked.
[0078] While the present invention has been described and
illustrated herein with reference to the preferred embodiments
thereof, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that
various modifications and variations can be made therein without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, it is
intended that the present invention cover the modifications and
variations of this invention that come within the scope of the
appended claims and their equivalents.
* * * * *